Friday, July 07, 2017

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire refused to give credits for its mandatory community service program if the activity chosen by students had any connection to religious practice.

Several months after it was sued by students who were denied credit for teaching religious education programs at their Catholic church, the university has settled the litigation by agreeing to honor the activity with credit.

The university also agreed to remove language from its “service learning guidebook” and “Senate motion” that bans credit for “promoting religious doctrine, proselytizing, or worship.”

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire refused to give credits for its mandatory community service program if the activity chosen by students had any connection to religious practice. Several months after it was sued by students who were denied credit for teaching religious education programs at their Catholic church, the university has settled the litigation by agreeing to honor the activity with credit. The university also agreed to remove language from its “service learning guidebook” and “Senate motion” that bans credit for “promoting religious doctrine, proselytizing, or worship.”